Barry Alvarez on Bielema Departure & the Rose Bowl

12/6/2012 1:45AM

University of Wisconsin Athletic Director Barry Alvarez talks to Wall Street Journal Business of Celebrity host Lee Hawkins about the unexpected departure of UW head football coach Bret Bielema for Arkansas and the impact that development will have on Wisconsin football for the Rose Bowl and in the future in general.

This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.

I ... University of Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez could be coming out of retirement for one game ... to coach the UW Badgers in the rolls will after learning that UW coach Bret dilemma ... is leaving for Arkansas ... he'll announce his decision officially on Thursday at a press conference in Wisconsin ... in this exclusive interview we talked about the future of Badger football and Wisconsin and read ... so much new is the cover around Wisconsin right now ... Colts billion announcing that he's been in the evening go to Arkansas ... I was at a dinner with him Monday night where we ranges interview ... you did not know ... that he was going to leave it that you know I did not I didn't know until ... noon yesterday ... that ... he came in and said we have to talk to ... and for me that ... Argan's OT offered a job news ... it made the decision he was doing ... I at that time was there any opportunity to make a counteroffer or anything like that ... not is my was I Aston injure my made up ... of ... have you made a decision ... he said yes ... and ... it that point ... I'm not sure you put a lot of thought into it in his wife ... um sure ... with a lot of things you felt was best for him ... and ... there was no need for me to tell ... at that point what position which is you do next ... I started contacting people on my shortlist ... up to find interest to ... find those who I'd identified ... it seems there was interest ... in our coaching position ... can you give us any information about any of the people that you talk to all I'd I couldn't do that ... the idea ... it's not fair to them ... um ... my first inclination is to hire someone ... was acting head coach ... someone has experience ... someone that would fit ... our position ... what kind of attributes are you looking for new call ... I'm looking for someone ... of that is a good fit would be a good fit ... for our Wisconsin families someone that our people would data file with ... someone that cares about player someone who ... treats players the right way ... obviously has ever been of background football when you're interviewing body from Sai to ... a track record in football ... but there are other things that that come into play ... they have to understand our culture ... and how we win at Wisconsin who we are ... in a deal to carry that forward ... so many people would like to see you come back and colt's the roles all we do that or can you not talk about the point where you feel what I had a meeting with the team tomorrow ... of one assure them that ... we would do everything we can ... to to let the senior squad on a positive note ... Lautoka coach in place ... that that that don't deal with but could ... identify with someone don't join plan for ... aam ... will talk about dealing with that game tomorrow more so ... than right now but there there's a possibility that would combat is a possibility that you could coax the rules ... her curves treat other people ... have said that Wisconsin because Wisconsin as five ... losses does not deserve to be in the rules for what he think about that ... well as a coach you look it there was entitled title to an opinion ... the rules were laid out before the season started ... to live to formerly ... the world probation they couldn't go global ... that's not our fault ... that was all laid out before him ... the winner the championship games were represent us in the Rose Bowl ... that's what happened ... we lost by very tough games three in overtime ... two were we had the ball last possession was a chance to win ... so I'm not apologizing I would apologize to anybody ... about us being in the Rose Bowl I think we're good football team ... we've been competitive all year ... and on the Cosco as a coach ... you know you use it back ... you know the roles ... played by the rules ... and then ... then go from there ... will say the winner of Twitter that lead ... we chat feature bill goes to Rome will not apologize ... I get the sense that you're not planning on losing that game regardless of what ... happened with the Colts as they may be wary of concerns about protecting the staff that you have the air at Wisconsin right now ... well ... I've ... The that a pullout work into it ... our visit with them as I get back into town tomorrow ... I've talked to some mobile telephone ... I'm sure the dough be excited about coaching and boiled be disappointed if they didn't ... and I will go from there you know what my next ... responsibility is to start training ... and coaching candidates and and and moving forward but ... Umaga to be in a big rush because it's a very important decision among make ... the church the right decision ... prices is an opportunity at many times and we look at it ... there were areas ... in my opinion were the Colts couldn't perform better ... stock management end of key management were those concerns or do you think you would of thought and ... Brett were allotted games ... he's a lot of success ... you know when you're on the sidelines of you know that ... there's a lot of times you can scrutinize ... the question ... of ... a lot of things about that any coach ... um I've I've been through enough ... to know ... we did enough good things ... to do ... to win all our games are a thing for you cry average more than nine games ... twenty nine games here that's hard to ... it's it's not easy to win so ... um I know ... I've no ... qualms with ... fresh performance on the field let's talk about realignment because ... unilateral changes right now what he think about Marilyn in record for the year first up are your first choices and when to rev hadn't ordered a more another big ... football powerhouse coming but ... you know it isn't like to ... call grocery shopping ... picking somebody to come in beleaguered somebody that has to fit ... someone that looks like just feels like us ... has the same philosophies broad based ... in all sports someone academically ... similar to a big ten school ... of ... both truckers in Maryland that that picture ... if you study ... demographics you see the Midwest continually ... losing population you see the ... northeast quarter or the ... in the ... in the South the southeast quarter continue to grow ... um ... you know ... this is a protection for us for free for the future ... so that our footprint footprint gross ... so helpless in recruiting ... um ... you know it'll help us to not get shut out ... of the Northeast ... and of course you turn around the Wisconsin program where are the top three things that ... you believe that you were able to do that you're most proud of him doing that ... well it's it's changing the culture ... when when you take over losing program ... I didn't make a difference whether it's a football program or business ... you have to change the culture ... changes to a winning culture and that means every person ... the touches that program ... has to buy him ... they have to understand with their responsibility is ... and buy into it ... we really change the culture ... I think we can we win was a good plan ... I knew Wisconsin I knew the Straits of Wisconsin ... the first thing I felt it was important for us to do ... was to keep the best players of all ... the best players in the state that high school players were leaving ... um so ... I could say since nineteen ninety we private lost five players ... from our state that we wanted and that's very very import ... and as you go forward and they need the role it's much broader than Bhopal although people ... tend to focus ... disproportionately on it because of who you are ... but right now there's a lot going on I've that you have to cover ... as an eighty one of the things is raising money for new student athletes enter ... tell me about the new scene at the center and where you are in terms of progress ... in fundraising for that ... we are ... really ... we have four new building projects an athlete or just completed ... hockey project hockey facility ... new hockey facility with a win will play the games ... both men and women will practice ... practice their ... new locker rooms ... that was opened about two months ago ... last month we opened up a new indoor golf facility ... the the new football facility ... I will consist of ... renovation of our endorses the McLean Center an indoor facility ... new locker rooms training room ... weight room ... the new academic center for all of our athletes ... it's about an ... eighty five million dollar project ... we normally ... we provide twenty five percent of funding ... we raced twenty five percent ... um ... and then we bought fifty percent that's that's our formula for that ... curly were probably of ... eight million dollars shy of our goal ... we're making a strong push that you know it today I have one meeting ... have another one this evening with ... the soul or our graduates ... they've been very positive supported ... on Monday a couple these meetings such as this around the country ... you really come into this fund raising roll ... out with a lot of these you've gotten good at it ... how did you get good at it and what have you learned about fundraising ... well ... I think it's all about believing in your products ... and and of ... people saying that that I'm legitimate I care about universal Wisconsin ... the people of aam talking to also ... have a love for the universe either graduates ... of ... and it means something to them so ... um ... you know what we have a ... a belief in a project it's a good project ... the figure one down if I were the front porch of the universe ... Deathly farms the front porch ... were when everybody can follow ... week in week out ... and so ... they told me they want to be competitive to be competitive ... you gotta have facilities are competitive and ... saw that that they all understand ... college football was a big business what do you think about ... the transformation of the financial model ... it is big business but it's my business ... the bill was ready to business ... YouTube he'd keep football basketball and in our case hockey ... the three revenue progression sports ... in the other twenty one would go away ... and I just this ... business ... it's good but it is that there's ... we are filed away to ... to pay for itself into an understand ... of more self supporting our athletic department stands on its own two feet ... take no state funding ... and so ... this gave revenue ... its TV revenues ... the speech of private funding ... that's what that's what makes us tick and ... so ... you you have to be creative ... in your in your ... in your cash flow in in in your revenue streams ... of ... and that's because we're trying to do ... potty strike that balance ... between on revenue in revenue sports in terms of ... how you allocate your attention ... to the coaches that you know that you get a gymnastics coach the same amount of time you get the full vocal works ... well and is the heart ... bizarre for me at all ... I get most of my attention football ... the search engine that drives the train ... um ... you know what the good people in place no support site sports administrator sch ... aside every sport ... of ... but to say that I would do ... the other sports as much attention as I did football would not be ... the be true ... aam ... although I do care about Joe sports attend most of the other sports I stay in ... contact me with all the other head coaches ... of but I do give ... special attention football ... it also helps that I have an older more boss ... Russell Wilson ... JJ want to get some really ... successful clear is going to the NFL and be successful they are where you expecting Russell Wilson to do as well as he's going to be the starting quarterback ... there ... are told every pro scout ... and probe that the administrators who would listen to me ... that they need to grow so will soon for sure ... I'd I didn't care about how Hallie was ... delayed and try to sell them to let his height ... deter deter you from taking him because height is not a factor ... we kid you really say that the I ... told people I does that affect or is it that Russell Wilson Russia last year ... um ok on ... to recruit a bunch or debt is it that it bought ... in his case is not a factor ... why not because ... of how we understands the game ... how we moves ... um you know ... I think a senior he had three balls but ... Russell finds a way to throw through Angel throw over people ... that's what he finds and he sees things he knows ... he knows the game he studies it ... these actress very intelligent ... he's in he's in he's a player I've to wear but listen ... you take him ... your guide ... gets a sore arm the Russell gets in the game ... so we'll leave that to ... you will see him again obedient up ... is there a better quarterback in terms of ... mass final minutes of the game ... being put in a position where is gonna produce the NFL ... I hope I don't know I'm sure that ... people would say Peyton Manning can get pretty good track record and ... the lies of pre good job and ... Argyle in Green Bay ... doesn't rise jobs the they're they're a lot of great quarterbacks on knows this ... um ... I would shy away from Russell Rob Russell when were you shocked ... by J J Watts ... and his personnel ... in on J J J is really a special athlete ... you know what we can do in his long leverage new chance ... um he's got a motor plays out or miles in our every snap ... been you'll see that the sides at ... these are guys that the really represent us well the bill to be good in a lot will be good in the community ... their guys you want to ... well you continue that tradition at Wisconsin ... lots of people will be following to see ... if you're the coach ... for the role school how are you feeling about ... until five ... fill bottom will conform to the Rose Bowl ... Erie over as stinky so much ... and we look forward to hearing your big announcement ... whatever you decide ... tomorrow in Wisconsin there you ... and with Barry Alvarez and Lee Hawkins will see next ... I ... I ... I ...